Åge Hareide was a notable Norwegian football player and manager who made significant contributions to the sport from 1953 to 2025.
Hareide played for clubs like Manchester City and Norwich City, and was capped 50 times for the Norway national team.
He became the second Norwegian to play in the English top division when he debuted for Manchester City in 1981.
Biography
Early Life
Åge Fridtjof Hareide was born in 1953 in Norway, where he would go on to become a prominent figure in the world of football. His journey began at Hareid IL, where he started his playing career in 1963. Over the years, he showcased his skills as a defender, eventually earning a spot on the Norway men's national team, where he made 50 appearances and scored five goals between 1976 and 1986.
Playing Career
Hareide's club career saw him play for several teams, including IL Hødd, Molde FK, Manchester City, and Norwich City. Notably, he made his debut for Manchester City on October 24, 1981, becoming only the second Norwegian to play in the English top division. His international highlights include a memorable 2-1 victory against England in a World Cup qualifier and a crucial goal in a 3-1 win against Yugoslavia in a European Championship qualifier.
Coaching Career
Transitioning from player to coach, Hareide achieved remarkable success, managing teams in Norway, Denmark, and Sweden. He is the only coach to have won league titles in all three Scandinavian countries. His coaching career included a stint as the head coach of the Norway national team, where he replaced Nils Johan Semb in 2003. After resigning, he became a commentator for the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation, sharing his insights on the game.
Legacy
Hareide's contributions to football have been recognized with several prestigious awards, including Kniksen's Honorary Award and being named a Knight of the Order of the Dannebrog. Despite facing personal challenges, including a battle with brain cancer, his legacy as a player and coach remains influential in Norwegian football.
Collected from open sources (3) · facts link to sources · AI-processed
Gallery
Career & Clubs
Hareide resigned as the Norway national team coach then worked as an expert Norwegian Premier League commentator for the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation.
Club
International
Scores and results list Norway's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Hareide goal.
As a coach Hareide has won three European countries' national league championships, namely that of Denmark, Sweden and his native Norway, making him the only coach to have won the league in three Scandinavian countries. Other coaches who have won league titles in three countries include fellow Scandinavians Trond Sollied and Sven-Göran Eriksson, while Ernst Happel, Giovanni Trapattoni, José Mourinho and Carlo Ancelotti have won championships in four countries.
Early managerial career
In the mid-1990s, Norwegian millionaires Kjell Inge Røkke and Bjørn Rune Gjelsten were reportedly interested in bringing Hareide back to Manchester City as manager if their bid to take over the club was successful, but the takeover bid failed and Hareide never returned to the club. When the pair tried to take over Leeds United around the same time, it was once again reported that Hareide would be installed as manager if the takeover bid succeeded, but this bid too failed and Hareide was never put in charge at Elland Road. However, the pair finally succeeded in a takeover bid for fellow English Premier League club Wimbledon in June 1997, and Hareide appeared all set to become the new manager of the club in a move that would have ousted the incumbent Joe Kinnear. But this never happened either.
Norway
Hareide was employed as the coach of the Norway national football team at the end of 2003, replacing Nils Johan Semb, after one season as coach of Rosenborg. On 8 December 2008,…
During his playing career, Hareide played for Hødd, Molde, Manchester City and Norwich City. When Hareide made his debut for Manchester City on 24 October 1981, he became only the second Norwegian player (after Einar Aas) to play in the English top division. He was also an active player for the Norway national team between 1976 and 1986, scoring five goals in 50 matches. Among the highlights of Hareide's international career was the 2–1 victory against England in a 1981 World Cup qualifier, and the 3–1 win against Yugoslavia in a 1983 European Championship qualifier where Hareide scored the third goal.
- Club
- Hareid IL (1963–)
- Club
- IL Hødd (1970–1975)
- Club
- Molde FK (1976–1981)
- Club
- Manchester City F.C. (1981–1982)
- Club
- Norwich City F.C. (1982–1984)
- Club
- Molde FK (1984–1987)
- Club
- Norway men's national association football team (1976–1986)
- National team
- Norway
Trophies & Awards
- Award
- Norges Fotballforbunds gullmerke
- Award
- Knight of the Order of the Dannebrog
- Award
- Kniksen's Honorary Award
Clubs
Played together with
- Abdisalam IbrahimManchester City F.C. · 2010–2014
- Abdisalam IbrahimNorway men's national association football team · 2014
Abdukodir KhusanovManchester City F.C. · 2025
Abdul RazakManchester City F.C. · 2011–2013
Adam ClaytonManchester City F.C. · 2008–2010
Adam IdahNorwich City F.C.
Adam JohnsonManchester City F.C. · 2010–2012
Adama DiomandeNorway men's national association football team · 2015
Ade AkinbiyiNorwich City F.C. · 1993–1997
Adrian HeathManchester City F.C. · 1990–1992
Adrian LeijerNorwich City F.C. · 2009–2009
Adrián BernabéManchester City F.C. · 2018
Archive
Passport
Identifiers & aliases
Norwegian association football player and manager (1953–2025)
Åge Fridtjof Hareide was a Norwegian football player and coach. In his playing career, he played for Hødd and Molde in Norway as well as Manchester City and Norwich City in England. Hareide was capped 50 times playing for Norway. In his coaching career he managed multiple clubs, as well as the national teams of Norway, Denmark, and Iceland.
Opinions of fans — not verified facts.
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